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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · fine · season · mouse · bark · nail · temple · bulb

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. fine — all right
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. season — in sport
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bark — a dog's sound

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com